Progressive Prosecutors Practices Questioned

BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Progressive prosecutors and their so-called soft approach on crime are called into question tonight.

It follows the release of a new report published by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.

Operation Crime & Justice investigative reporter Joy Lepola examines what the report says about Baltimore and gun violence.

A national law enforcement organization says findings laid out in a recent report illustrate the impact progressive prosecutors can have on crime. The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund looked at six cities across the United States. LELDF President Jason Johnson says, "Instead of guessing, we wanted to grab as much data as we could possibly get."

Among the cities reviewed were San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Johnson says, "The one trend you see across all six offices... is that accountability for violent felons is down." Findings show in Baltimore, a 46% decline in guilty verdicts for firearms possession, and a 42% decline in mandatory minimum sentences for gun felonies under Marilyn Mosby's leadership.

Johnson says Mosby's office has found a way to skirt statutory mandatory minimums under certain plea deals. Findings suggest this approach to handgun cases is part of a progressive approach to fighting crime by the prosecutor's office.

University of Baltimore Law Professor David Jaros reviewed the LELDF report. Jaros says, "The fact is these numbers are highly malleable and don't tell much of a story." Jaros says there are other factors contributing to crime in Baltimore City. Jaros says,

These things are really difficult when you look at them closely...Both sides are going to throw out conviction rates and dismissal rates, and the fact is I think those things rarely tell you how well an office is doing at their job."

Based off the LELDF findings, progressive prosecutors are picking and choosing which laws should be enforced. For gun offenders in Baltimore that often amounts to shorter sentences.

Baltimore is approaching a sixth straight year of more than 300 murders.